Into the Cave
by best with breadsticks
Summary: One-shot: Chad plans a romantic date in an unexpected place. For Sugar Rush4eva


Author's Note: I wrote this fic nearly a month ago for Sugar Rush4eva (aka Sugar on the forum). I miss her. :( She is currently on vacation in Japan and won't be back until the 18th. I hadn't posted the story I wrote for her the night before she left, so I'm posting it now.

I'm pretty proud of myself for writing and editing (to the best of my abiltiy) this entire thing in less than two hours. I think that's a new record for me. :) Though this story is kind of lame and I feel bad because it's for Sugar. :(

Anyway, this was inspired by Chad thinking, in "Falling for the Falls Part II", that a date in a cave could be romantic.

Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own "Sonny with a Chance".

* * *

"On the count of three, you can move your hands." Chad whispered in his girlfriend's ear as she stood blindly with her hands pressed firmly against her eyes. They had been walking for what seemed like hours to her, though, in actuality, it was merely minutes before he confirmed that they were nearing their destination.

"Chad, what's the big surprise?" Sonny asked; keeping her eyes closed underneath her hands. "It better not be a picture of you or something, because I'm telling you, Chad Dylan Cooper, I am turning around and walking straight back to—"

"Three," Chad cut in before Sonny could finish her threat.

"Wait," Sonny turned towards his voice without uncovering her eyes. "What about one and two?"

"Counting is for squares."

"Chad," Sonny prepared herself to scold him. "Counting is not fo—"

Chad reached his hands out and grabbed hers, pulling them away from her eyes. He spun her around and forced her open her eyes to behold the setup he set up over many painstaking hours. She gasped at first in confusion before glancing back at him with questions in her eyes.

"A cave?" Sonny raised an eyebrow at him. "You seriously brought me to a cave? I was kidding when I told you that a cave would be a good place for us to go on a date." She turned her attention back to the lavishly dressed cave they were standing in front of.

Christmas lights lined the stone walls of the cave, creating a line to a great deal of décor for a cave. Sonny could see there was a simple, blue blanket lying towards the back of the cave with a woven picnic basket sitting on its corner, waiting to be opened. A small vase, holding a single red rose, sat in the center of the blanket flaunting a romantic essence.

"You don't like it?" Chad felt a lump in his throat.

When she had mentioned the cave idea, it hadn't occurred to him that she was only kidding until she mentioned that maybe it would be better if they weren't together. But now, after they had gotten passed their small fight, the idea of a date in a cave had certain appeal to him.

How many girls went on a date with Chad Dylan Cooper?

And of those girls, how many had a date in a cave with Chad Dylan Cooper?

Answer: one. There was only one who was deserving enough to go on a date in cave with him.

Sonny could see the hints of disappointment in his eyes. The decorations inside and outside the cave and the sadness in his eyes lent one to believe that he had truly worked hard putting this together for her. And little did Sonny know that he had spent almost four and half hours with Nico and Grady arranging this romantic cave wonderland.

"No, no." Sonny shook her head, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "I love it. I just didn't expect you to take the cave date idea and run with it. I'm just surprised is all." She smiled.

A smile traced his lips as his eyes met with hers, seeing in them the happiness she was claiming to have. Her initial reaction might not have been exactly what he was looking for, but knowing that she was indeed happy – or at least content – with the idea of eating dinner with her boyfriend in a cave was enough for him.

"Well then, come, m'lady!" He linked his arm with hers, allowing his smile to grow into a full charming grin.

She smiled again at him, leaning into him as they walked into the lit cave. It was as they walked in that she took note of a two, nylon sleeping bags lying a few feet away from the blanket and picnic basket. She pondered for a moment what he was planning to do with those, but let the thought slip away as he gestured for her to sit down on the blanket.

"Did you check for bears before setting up shop in here?" Sonny asked as she knelt down on the blanket next to the basket. "I would have thought you would be too scared of running into a bear to go into a cave. I have to say I'm actually impressed."

He sat down across from her, smirking as he reached into the basket and pulled out two identical placemats, setting one down in front of Sonny and one in front of himself. He then proceeded to pull two floral decorated plates, a pair of forks, and two wine glasses, setting them up on the placemats. While he pulled things from the basket he spoke to her.

"Sonny, Sonny, Sonny, how many times do I have to tell that Chad Dylan Cooper fears nothing. Not bears, not heights, not spiders, not comedy, not—"

"You're afraid of rats." Sonny cut him off with a laugh, thinking back on the day in the Prop House when Chad was chased out by the rat in the photo booth.

"Okay, fine," Chad pulled a bottle of sparkling apple cider and two grilled cheese sandwiches with the crusts cut off from the basket. "I'm sort of afraid of rats. They scare me a little bit."

"Chad, you screamed like a girl." Sonny chuckled, taking one of the two sandwiches. "You had your entire wardrobe fumigated because you weird paranoid there were more rats in your pants." Her chuckle had become a hearty laugh by the end of her sentence as she recalled Chad's paranoia.

Chad was about to pour her a glass of sparkling cider, when he stopped to glare at her. She smiled back him, stifling her laughter as she met his gaze.

"But the paranoia was cute." She changed her tune very swiftly, grinning at him, while motioning for him to continuing please. "I'm done. You can continue. Sorry for bringing it up."

He unexpectedly laughed, "I'm glad you thought my paranoia was cute." He rolled his eyes and continued filling the glasses.

Sonny looked down at the meal laid out in on the placemat. A wine glass full of sparkling apple cider and a crust-less grilled cheese sandwich; not the most romantic of meals, but it would have to suffice for tonight's dinner.

She picked up her sandwich and smiled. "Did you make this?"

Chad began cutting his grilled cheese with his fork before taking one of the pieces and putting it in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed the piece as he waved off her question with his free hand.

"Nah," he replied. "I tried to. But ever since I lit the stove on fire trying to make you stir fry a few weeks ago, and the fire marshal in our area ended up banning me from all fire hazardous machines, my mommy insisted that she make them for our date. She makes the best grilled cheese anyway, so it's really no big deal."

Sonny took another bite and smiled. She adored Chad's mother. The woman treated Chad like her little baby boy, spoiling him rotten, but she had good intentions and was very nice. Sonny enjoyed spending the afternoon with his mother showing her re-runs of _The Goody Gang _for hours. Chad would grumble and leave the room to busy himself with something as Sonny and his mother would laugh for hours at younger versions of Chad and Tawni creating mischief.

"Well then, tell your mom, I love her sandwiches."

He put another piece in his mouth, "Will do."

They ate quietly for a few minutes before Sonny broke the silence.

"So, Chad," she scooted over closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I was just wondering, but what are those sleeping bags for?"

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Well, I was thinking… If you didn't want go home so soon, we could have a little, bitty campout. Just you and me. I already cleared it with your mom a few days ago. She said she would allow it if, and only if, I kept this camera on all night."

He motioned to the security camera hanging above them, watching their every move.

"We're not really alone in this cave. You're mom wanted to make sure I didn't try to pull anything, so we wired up this camera a T.V. back at your apartment. Your mother will be pulling an all-nighter watching us if you decide you want to stay."

She closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of his cologne before replying softly. "I would like to stay."

She felt safe with Chad and her mother keeping careful watch over her. She had to admit, as weird as it was to have a date in a cave, it was slowly becoming one of the most romantic dates they had been on.

"Good." He kissed her gently on the head. "Let me just get the sleeping bags unrolled."

Sonny allowed him to stand up and fiddle with the sleeping bags as she waved up towards the camera, smiling.

"Hi, mom," she said cheerfully. She could imagine her mother waving furiously back at her. The thought made the smile on Sonny's face increase. Her mother was quite the woman and she loved her dearly. She would miss her this night, but it would be nice to have night out of her apartment.

Chad set the sleeping bags over by the exit to the cave. He turned and gestured for Sonny to come over and join him. She nodded and strolled over to him, taking a seat on the ground. He opened one of the two sleeping bags completely and wrapped it around Sonny like a shawl. He sat down next to her, putting his arm around her. She squirmed a bit for him to let her go, so she could wrap the sleeping bag around him as well.

"Come on, there's room for both of us in here." She said, as he pulled the sleeping bag around him too.

Sonny leaned her head down on his chest, watching the navy blue clouds float past the moon. He kept his arms around her, silently watching her in his arms. She sighed as she gazed over the trees to see the bright lights of Hollywood dancing in the distance.

This moment was perfect.

After a few minutes of complete silence, Sonny heard a faint snoring coming from above her. She shifted in Chad's arms to see him resting his head on hers sound asleep. All the planning and decorating must have worn him out completely.

A smile played on Sonny's lips. She kissed his forehead gingerly, before unweaving herself from his grasp. She was careful to not allow him to slump backwards and hit his head off of the stone floor of the cave as she freed herself from his arms. She soundlessly made sure that he was tucked in under the open sleeping bag.

She smiled to herself watching him sleep. For someone who could be so conceited and cruel, he looked so gentle and peaceful when he slept. It was a side of him only few people would ever be able to see. It was the side of him she fell in love with.

She quietly tip-toed towards the back of the cave and picked up a rock. It felt like a silly idea, but she came to the decision that a date in a cave was an even sillier one. She walked over towards one of the smooth walls of the cave and wrote a short message for anyone else who dare venture into this little hideaway.

Once she had finished, she turned to the camera and blew a kiss.

"Goodnight, mom," she whispered. "Love you."

She tip-toed back over to the sleeping bags, grabbing the free one, slipping into it without a second thought; normally she might have complained that she hadn't brushed her teeth or changed into her pajamas, but tonight everything just seemed right the way things were.

As she fell asleep with her mother keeping close watch, the Christmas lights illuminated her stone etched message on the wall. The idea and the message were utterly cheesy and lame. But since Sonny liked cheese and she had a tendency of being a little lame, so it fit her well.

'_Chad Dylan Cooper and Sonny Munroe were here" _was written with a small heart under the words.

And as the light of the moon began to dim behind the clouds only one question remained lingering in the air.

Who knew a date in a cave could be so romantic?

* * *

Author's Note: Kind of lame, right? Yeah, I know.

Anyway, this story is dedicated to the wonderful Sugar! I miss you tons! (hugs) ...Darn, I can't make the little huggie people on this site. haha.


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